FYI, October is also National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

In a reversal of yesterday’s free food deluge, pick up a free dessert and some hot chocolate first in the East Campus 2^nd floor lounge from 5:00 to 6:00 pm, for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (among other things).  Then, once you’ve filled up, head down to Times Square to participate in a special lighting ceremony at Duffy Square as part of the initiative to “Shine the Light on Domestic Violence in Times Square” at 6:45 pm.

Afterwards, if you’re craving something a little more substantive or if your thirst for change has yet to be quenched, today’s your lucky day! As part of Queer Awareness Month and Latino Heritage Month (what can we say, October’s a popular month), grab a free dinner in the basement of St. Paul’s chapel from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the QuAM+LHM Common Meal. Enjoy a complimentary meal while discussing hard hitting social issues including domestic violence within the Queer and Latino communities.

Hard hitting instrument of justice via Wikimedia Commons

Staceyann Chin performing, squats

But not according to Wikipedia, so a citation is needed. In a month-long celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning students and student life on campus, QuAM is hosting a series of events around campus. Yesterday Prof. Peter Awn kicked off the month with a keynote presentation accompanied by poet and performance artist, Staceyann Chin.

Read on for the full list of the month’s events

Queer Awareness Month

Save your pleas for a free swipe into John Jay for another day, and join celeb guests Dean Peter Awn and poet Staceyann Chin for a menu that sounds so good, we almost don’t want to share it with you.

The Queer Awareness Month Opening Ceremony brings you free Dinosaur BBQ—ribs and grilled portobello mushrooms, mac and cheese, and grilled veggie orzo—and homemade cupcakes by Melissa.

It’s tonight from 6pm to 8 pm in the Oval at the Diana. You can check out the rest of the month’s happenings here.

Low Plaza has played host to some divergent causes in the
past, but today might just take the cake: the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter
Day Saints is singing and handing out Books of Mormon in the shadow of Queer
Awareness Month’s helium-filled rainbow arch (with a small bake sale against
the bailout off to the side, as well as the odd voter registration booth). Both groups seem to be coexisting peacefully thus far. Of the LDSers, Elder Parkka, from Finland, and Elder Miller, from Utah—both 20—are more than
happy to tell you about how they found God. Should you be questioning, find more information here.

The QuAMmers, by contrast, are more than
happy to tell you about First Friday Homecoming(OUT) dance, which is tomorrow
in Lerner Party Space. There’s a whole slate of events lined up for this month,
including a Masquerade Ga(y)la, a Genderf*ck Party, as well a smattering of
study breaks and talks. The full schedule is expected to be uploaded here
soonish.

Running With Scissors author Augusten Burroughs headlined the Queer Awareness Month opening reception Monday night in Roone Arledge Auditorium.

Bwog arrived early enough to snag a choice seat in the front—although not late enough to miss a series of lengthy introductions from various student leaders—and thoroughly enjoyed Burroughs’ keynote address. Dressed in a baseball cap, leather jacket, and jeans, a noticeably slimmed-down Burroughs greeted the audience with a reading from his soon-to-be-published collection of holiday essays titled, You Better Not Cry.

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